Australian domestic aviation carried 70 million passengers last year. At the same time, road freight moved 280 billion tonne-kilometres. These figures reveal a system stretched between massive scale and persistent challenges.
Key Takeaways
- Australia's domestic aviation carried 70 million passengers in 2022-23
- There are 450 licensed airports in Australia
- Qantas Group operated 150,000 flights in 2023
- Australia's maritime trade volume was 1.5 billion tonnes in 2021-22
- There are 60 major commercial ports in Australia
- Container throughput at Port of Melbourne 3 million TEU in 2022
- Public transport patronage in capital cities 2.5 billion trips in 2019
- Buses provided 60% of public transport trips in 2022
- Light rail passenger boardings 100 million annually in Sydney
- Australia's interstate rail freight task was 120 billion tonne-km in 2021-22
- There are 33,000 km of interstate rail track in Australia
- Rail carried 25% of total freight task in 2022
- In 2021-22, road freight task in Australia totalled 280 billion tonne-kilometres
- There were 18.3 million registered motor vehicles in Australia as of January 2023: June 2026
- Heavy vehicles accounted for 36% of the total road freight task in 2021-22
In 2022 to 2023, aviation, shipping, rail, and road moved vast volumes while public transport recovered strongly.
Related reading
01 · Category
Air Transport25 stats
01
Australia's domestic aviation carried 70 million passengers in 2022-23
02
There are 450 licensed airports in Australia
03
Qantas Group operated 150,000 flights in 2023
04
Air freight totalled 1.2 million tonnes in 2022
05
Average flight delay 15 minutes domestically
06
Regional air services connect 200 communities
07
Jet fuel consumption 12 billion litres in 2022
08
Virgin Australia market share 30% in 2023
09
5 million international arrivals in 2023
10
Drone registrations reached 80,000 in 2023
11
Air transport employed 120,000 people in 2022
12
Sydney Airport handled 40 million passengers in 2023
13
2% growth in air cargo post-COVID to 2023
14
Aviation accidents 0.5 per million flights
15
Low-cost carriers hold 60% domestic market
16
Melbourne Airport freight 400,000 tonnes annually
17
Sustainable aviation fuel trials at 10 airports
18
Air passenger revenue $15 billion in 2023
19
1,000 general aviation aircraft registered
20
Perth Airport international passengers 3 million yearly
21
Air transport CO2 emissions 20 million tonnes
22
New UAV rules for 50,000 drones commercial
23
Brisbane Airport capacity 50 million passengers
24
Air freight growth 4% annually projected
25
25 million RPT seats offered domestically 2023
Interpretation
Air Transport Interpretation
While Australia's aviation network buzzes with impressive scale—ferrying millions, employing thousands, and connecting remote communities—it navigates the turbulent skies of fuel consumption, emissions, and the relentless race for on-time performance.
02 · Category
Maritime Transport22 stats
01
Australia's maritime trade volume was 1.5 billion tonnes in 2021-22
02
There are 60 major commercial ports in Australia
03
Container throughput at Port of Melbourne 3 million TEU in 2022
04
Bulk cargo dominated 90% of sea freight
05
Port Botany handled 2.8 million TEU in 2023
06
Shipping emissions 15 million tonnes CO2 annually
07
12,000 vessel arrivals at Australian ports yearly
08
Iron ore exports via sea 900 million tonnes in 2022
09
LNG carriers visited 500 times in 2023
10
Port of Dampier throughput 600 million tonnes bulk
11
Cruise passengers 1 million pre-COVID
12
Dredging expenditure $500 million yearly
13
70% of Australian exports by sea volume
14
Gladstone Port coal exports 100 million tonnes
15
Ferry services carry 50 million passengers annually
16
Ship bunkering 5 million tonnes fuel yearly
17
Port of Fremantle container growth 5%
18
Maritime safety incidents 200 per year
19
Automated ports trials at 5 locations
20
Sea freight costs 5% of GDP trade
21
Sydney Harbour ferries 15 million trips
22
Offshore supply vessels 300 active
Interpretation
Maritime Transport Interpretation
Australia's maritime might is a double-edged sword: while its colossal, resource-fueled trade keeps the economy afloat on a sea of bulk cargo, the environmental and logistical wake it leaves—from shipping emissions to dredging bills—reminds us that every ton of prosperity comes with a tangible cost.
03 · Category
Public and Urban Transport20 stats
01
Public transport patronage in capital cities 2.5 billion trips in 2019
02
Buses provided 60% of public transport trips in 2022
03
Light rail passenger boardings 100 million annually in Sydney
04
Melbourne tram network spans 250 km
05
Opal card taps 1 billion yearly in NSW
06
Myki public transport users 80% contactless in 2023
07
Brisbane TransLink bus fleet 1,200 vehicles
08
Adelaide Metro rail electrified 90 km
09
Perth CAT buses free rides 20 million yearly
10
Public transport funding $10 billion federally 2022
11
Bike share schemes in 8 cities with 50,000 rides daily
12
Go card transactions 300 million in Queensland
13
Urban congestion costs $20 billion annually
14
40% mode share target for public transport by 2030
15
Electric buses in fleet 500 nationwide 2023
16
Peak hour bus occupancy 70% in Sydney
17
Shared mobility apps 5 million users
18
Ferry patronage 30 million in major cities
19
Smart ticketing systems in all states
20
Public transport recovery 85% pre-COVID levels 2023
Interpretation
Public and Urban Transport Interpretation
These numbers sketch a determined, sprawling, and occasionally charming portrait of Australian cities in motion, where billions of bus trips and tiny tram networks valiantly battle the twenty-billion-dollar spectre of congestion, all while trying to coax us back on board one tap at a time.
04 · Category
Rail Transport28 stats
01
Australia's interstate rail freight task was 120 billion tonne-km in 2021-22
02
There are 33,000 km of interstate rail track in Australia
03
Rail carried 25% of total freight task in 2022
04
Average train speed for freight is 60 km/h nationally
05
Coal trains accounted for 60% of rail freight tonne-km in 2021
06
1,200 locomotives in operation across Australia in 2023
07
Rail passenger-km totalled 15 billion in 2019 pre-pandemic
08
Investment in rail infrastructure was $15 billion in 2021-22
09
Inland rail project covers 1,700 km
10
Rail freight growth of 3% annually to 2030 projected
11
Sydney Trains carried 300 million passengers annually pre-COVID
12
15% of rail delays due to track faults in 2022
13
Electric locomotives make up 40% of fleet
14
Rail employed 50,000 people in 2022
15
Average freight train length is 1.5 km
16
Victorian regional rail lines span 4,000 km
17
Rail safety incidents fell 20% from 2018-2022
18
High-speed rail proposals cover 1,000 km corridors
19
Rail fuel efficiency is 500 tk/litre diesel
20
Queensland rail freight was 200 million tonnes in 2022
21
Metro Trains Melbourne daily ridership 400,000 pre-COVID
22
Rail axle load averages 23 tonnes
23
10 new signalling systems installed in 2023
24
Rail CO2 emissions 10 million tonnes annually
25
Transcontinental rail freight doubled since 2000
26
Passenger rail share of trips 8% in capital cities
27
Rail track maintenance costs $2 billion yearly
28
500 km of new rail built 2018-2023
Interpretation
Rail Transport Interpretation
Australia's freight rail is a slow-moving, coal-addicted giant hauling a quarter of our goods on a vast, expensive, and aging network, but with steady investment, growing efficiency, and a crucial role in our future, it's a workhorse we're stubbornly—and wisely—betting on.
05 · Category
Road Transport30 stats
01
In 2021-22, road freight task in Australia totalled 280 billion tonne-kilometres
02
There were 18.3 million registered motor vehicles in Australia as of January 2023: June 2026
03
Heavy vehicles accounted for 36% of the total road freight task in 2021-22
04
Average annual distance travelled by cars in Australia was 13,500 km in 2021
05
Road fatalities in Australia reached 1,194 in 2022
06
75% of Australia's domestic freight by tonne-kilometres is moved by road
07
There are over 870,000 km of sealed and unsealed roads in Australia
08
Articulated trucks carried 85 billion tonne-km of freight in 2021-22
09
Fuel consumption by road transport was 24 billion litres in 2021-22
10
92% of passenger trips in Australia are by road vehicles
11
Rigid trucks represented 24% of road freight vehicles in 2022
12
Road transport employed 4.2 million people in 2022
13
Average speed on Australian highways is 100 km/h
14
15% growth in road freight task from 2018 to 2022
15
6.5 million light commercial vehicles registered in 2023
16
Toll roads account for 2,500 km of Australia's road network
17
Road maintenance expenditure was $8.5 billion in 2021-22
18
40% of road crashes involve fatigue
19
Electric vehicle registrations grew 200% to 100,000 in 2023
20
Average vehicle age in Australia is 10.5 years in 2023
21
28 billion passenger-km travelled by cars in 2021
22
Road freight costs represent 15% of logistics expenses
23
1.2 million heavy vehicle drivers licensed in 2022
24
National Highway network spans 40,000 km
25
5% annual increase in road vehicle km travelled since 2019
26
Buses carried 450 million passengers on roads in 2019 pre-COVID
27
Road transport CO2 emissions were 80 million tonnes in 2021
28
65% of goods to regional areas by road
29
Autonomous vehicle trials on 500 km of roads in 2023
30
Road user charges collected $7 billion in 2022
Interpretation
Road Transport Interpretation
With a staggering 280 billion tonne-kilometres of freight, a road network longer than most celestial orbits, and a dependency so profound that our entire economy seems to run on rubber, diesel, and the weary determination of 4.2 million souls, Australia's transport system is an indispensable, fuel-thirsty, and tragically lethal juggernaut whose dominance is only rivalled by its complex challenges.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Margot Villeneuve. (2026, February 13). Australian Transport Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/australian-transport-industry-statistics
MLA
Margot Villeneuve. "Australian Transport Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/australian-transport-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Margot Villeneuve. 2026. "Australian Transport Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/australian-transport-industry-statistics.
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